Braden Looper | Starting Pitcher

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Braden Looper has announced his retirement from baseball.

Looper failed to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster after posting a 9.95 ERA over 12 2/3 innings, and rather than go to Triple-A, he's decided to hang up his cleats. The 36-year-old spent parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues and finishes his career with a 72-65 record, 4.15 ERA and 103 saves. Fri, Mar 25, 2011 05:34:00 PM

Braden Looper plans to retire if he fails to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster.

Looper has an offseason home in Chicago's south suburbs and will simply retreat there if the Cubs don't deem him worthy of a roster spot. He's being tried currently as a starter, but has said all along that he's also open to relief. "It’s a nice competition for the fourth and fifth spots," said bench coach Pat Listach. "We’ve got a few guys involved and [Looper is] keeping himself right there in the running." Mon, Mar 14, 2011 11:13:00 AM

Braden Looper limited the Diamondbacks to one run in 3 2/3 innings as a Cubs split-squad won 7-5 on Sunday.

He also went 2-for-2 with an RBI double at the plate. Looper is probably going to need a Carlos Silva trade to have any real chance of making the Cubs, but it's possible another team will take a flier on him if he turns in a solid spring. Sun, Mar 13, 2011 07:10:00 PM

Braden Looper can earn up to $3 million on his new deal with the Cubs.

Looper first has to earn a spot on the Cubs' Opening Day roster, then he has to stay on it all year to trigger all of the performance-based incentives. It seems unlikely that he will be able to accomplish both feats, given that he didn't pitch at all last season and had a 5.22 ERA in 2009. Mon, Jan 31, 2011 09:43:00 AM

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Braden Looper plans to retire if he fails to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster.

Looper has an offseason home in Chicago's south suburbs and will simply retreat there if the Cubs don't deem him worthy of a roster spot. He's being tried currently as a starter, but has said all along that he's also open to relief. "It’s a nice competition for the fourth and fifth spots," said bench coach Pat Listach. "We’ve got a few guys involved and [Looper is] keeping himself right there in the running."

Braden Looper limited the Diamondbacks to one run in 3 2/3 innings as a Cubs split-squad won 7-5 on Sunday.

He also went 2-for-2 with an RBI double at the plate. Looper is probably going to need a Carlos Silva trade to have any real chance of making the Cubs, but it's possible another team will take a flier on him if he turns in a solid spring.

Braden Looper can earn up to $3 million on his new deal with the Cubs.

Looper first has to earn a spot on the Cubs' Opening Day roster, then he has to stay on it all year to trigger all of the performance-based incentives. It seems unlikely that he will be able to accomplish both feats, given that he didn't pitch at all last season and had a 5.22 ERA in 2009.

The contract includes an invite to spring training. This isn't a surprising destination for him, as the Cubs' interest in Looper dates back to last April. The 36-year-old right-hander didn't pitch at all last season. He went 14-7 with a 5.22 ERA with the Brewers in 2009.

The Cubs are currently considering many options for their hurting bullpen, so it's only natural that they gave the former closer a look. Looper, 35, has a 3.58 career ERA as a reliever, though he has pitched exclusively as a starting pitcher since 2007.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that free agent right-hander Braden Looper threw for the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday.

Rosenthal adds that Looper is willing to be flexible on his role with the club if the Cubs want him. The 35-year-old right-hander was 14-7 with the Brewers last season, but posted an ugly 5.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in the process. It's hard to see a fit in their rotation as currently constructed.

A source told FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi Friday that free agent Braden Looper might wait until the season begins to sign a deal.

Looper, according to the source, could take advantage if there's an injury in the rotation of a desperate club. The 35-year-old went 14-7 last year, but posted an ugly 5.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP. The Dodgers have expressed interest, and the Nationals even made a contract offer.

Looper's agent, Alan Hendricks, was making the rounds at the Dodgers' spring training complex on Thursday. The club is only willing to give the right-hander a minor league contract, though, and it's not clear if he will accept. Looper, 35, went 14-7 last year with a 5.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP. If signed by Los Angeles, he would enter a fifth-starter competition that already includes Eric Stults, Scott Elbert, James McDonald and Charlie Haeger.

According to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick, the Dodgers are interested in free agent righty Braden Looper but not at his current asking price.

Looper is hoping to land a guaranteed spot on a major league roster and is probably counting on a desperate team to buck up in the next few weeks. He put together a 14-7 record last season, but he finished with an ugly 5.22 ERA, 1.49 WHIP in 194-plus innings. The way things have gone on the open market this winter, it's doubtful he will find anything too lucrative.

It's hard to say why exactly, but it may have something to do with his desire to find a guaranteed major league contract. According to Ladson, Looper told the club that "he is going in another direction," so maybe he feels he's close to a deal with another club.

Let's hope they view him as a last resort. Looper compiled a 14-7 record last season, but he did it with a 5.22 ERA, a 1.49 WHIP and just 100 strikeouts in 194-plus innings. He is not a difference maker and has drawn very little interest this winter. The Mets would be better of with John Smoltz or even Chien-Ming Wang, two guys they are also reportedly targeting.

Free agent right-hander Braden Looper told FOXSports.com on Monday that he would like to pitch for the Cubs in 2010.

"That would be appealing," he said. "You've got to see what your options are. I don't know if they're looking for a starting pitcher, since they have a new owner. But I'm living in Chicago, and I've got three kids in school here, so that would be nice." Looper went 14-7 with a 5.22 ERA in 34 starts this year. It's not clear if the Cubs want him, but he should come cheap.

According to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, the Brewers have declined RHP Braden Looper's $6.5 million option for 2010.

Looper posted a career-high 14 wins in 2009, but a quick glance under the surface reveals some troubling stats. His 5.22 ERA was a career-worst and he struck out just 100 batters in 194 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander was given a $1 million buyout to take his services elsewhere.

The Brewers have until Saturday to make a decision on Braden Looper's $6.5 million mutual option for 2010.

The Brewers can either exercise the option or hand him a $1 million buyout. Looper, 35, earned a career-high 14 wins in 2009, but posted a 5.22 ERA in 194 2/3 innings. He also led the majors in home runs allowed.